This invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for aiding the conditioning or teaching of proper posture or an erect body position of an individual person, and for aiding transferring of muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement to the erect biped or standing position of an individual. The invention helps the individual change his or her braced S-curved spinal configuration to a generally erect and aligned spinal column having the characteristic of an off-center segmented column. The present invention is useful in giving the individual reference focuses for relating the head and neck, all of the spine, and the shoulder and pelvic girdles properly in relation to one another and to a centerline through an erect or standing body. As will appear hereinafter, this centerline is generally defined by a vertical gravity line through an erect body extending through the ankle, knee, hip, and elbow joints, the shoulder, and the head and neck at the first cervical vertebrae and at the posterior portion of the jaw. An erect spinal column places the various body parts and organs in a mutually beneficial relationship in the earth's gravity, resulting in a more healthful condition of the person's body in a position of balance and equilibrium with its environment. Conditioning of the erect spinal column may occur in conjunction with aiding transferring muscle control of a cross-crawl movement on hands and knees into the movements of an erect individual with the properly aligned spinal column, for additional beneficial results.
In general, posture conditioning or teaching apparatus is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,270,069 to Martin, issued Jan. 13, 1942, describes certain apparatus in relation to which the present invention is an improvement. Apparently, the only purpose of the Martin apparatus is aiding conditioning of the shoulder girdle to the thorax of the individual. It does not recognize the importance of correctly aligning the whole length of the spinal column in an erect body position, and does not disclose the aiding of transferring muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement to the erect body position. Thus the Martin apparatus does not disclose means for aiding conditioning of the total length of the back or spinal column and specifically, there is no disclosure of means for aiding conditioning of the positions of the pelvic girdle, the head, neck and spine through a centerline or gravity line of an erect individual.
A cross-crawl movement of a child on hands and knees has long been recognized as instilling coordination, graceful movement and muscle control through its practice. Simulation of cross-crawl movements by adults also results in similar beneficial effects, but the inventor herein is not aware of any attempts to transfer this advantageous muscle control to the movements of adults in the standing or biped position.
It is, therefore, a general object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for aiding conditioning of muscles controlling the head and neck, the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle in relation to one another, in relation to the back and spine, and in relation to a gravity line through the body to obtain proper posture as a result of an erect and aligned spinal column.
It is another general object of this invention to aid transferring of the muscle coordination and control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement on hands and knees into the movement of an erect or standing individual with proper posture and a properly aligned spinal column.
It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method of aiding conditioning of the head and neck in relation to the thorax or the back or spinal column of an individual.
It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for aiding and conditioning of the pelvic girdle in relation to an erect spinal column and in relation to a centerline through the thorax and the body.
A further object of this invention is to provide improvements in apparatus for use in aiding conditioning of proper posture.
The inventive concepts involved in the apparatus may be generally summarized as comprising elbow support means for supporting an individual's bent elbows, shoulder engaging means for engaging the individual's shoulder fronts at a distance outward from the elbow support means, and handgrip means for gripping by the individual's hands at a position below the elbow support means. Back referencing means for engaging the individual's back below the shoulders may also be provided. The handgrip means and the back referencing means aid in conditioning the pelvic girdle position and the head, the neck, and all of the back or spinal column in relation to the shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle and the various parts of the spine itself for the purpose of changing the spinal column from an S-shaped curve braced mechanic configuration to a configuration of an off-center segmented and erect column. The inventive concepts involved in the method of the invention may be summarized as providing one or more of the previously described elements of apparatus for use in accomplishing body exercises to obtain an erect and aligned off-centered segmented spinal column. The body exercises comprise moving the head and neck by flexing the rectus capitus anterior muscles to generally move the head up and back from the shoulder girdle, moving the back and spinal column backward at the shoulder girdle by flexing the serratus magnus muscles, and moving the anterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic girdle back toward a centerline or gravity line by flexing the internal obliques and psoas muscles while gripping the handgrip means and pulling down on the handgrip means. For aiding transferring muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement, the method of the invention may include steps of placing one foot transversely forward with respect to the other foot, supporting the majority of the weight on the backward foot, and accomplishing one or more of the foregoing method steps to obtain an erect and aligned spinal column.
Details of the present invention may be understood from the following appended claims, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, and the brief description of the drawings.